Telegram has Been Banned from Pakistan

I’m not a big fan of the popular chatting app Telegram. Call me a cynic, but I always find a better use for Discord when it comes to Instant Messaging platforms. Apparently everyone loves to disagree with me on that regard but hey, whatever. Well, now I have one more reason to believe that Discord is a better alternative, it’s been banned in Pakistan.

That’s right, folks, the popular chatting app continues to face issues in Pakistan. As much as I dislike to say it, it’s a very popular app that’s known for employing security measures. This is something that is also a flagship for its direct competitor, WhatsApp.

Both of the apps are known for being annoying to a lot of government institutions. The fact that they use an encryption method on their messages which protects their customers is a very heavy subject. Especially considering the latest in security and terrorist threats using these services to cover their tracks.

More than a month ago, reports started surfacing that Telegram users in Pakistan are facing issues in connecting with their apps. Reportedly, some users started experiencing problems with its web version first. Now it seems like most people them can’t even use Telegram’s mobile apps as well.

According to Propakistani, some users report that using a VPN solves their issue, leading many to conclude that a firewall might be to blame for the app’s inability to connect. In other words, this is actually an attempt to ban the app over at Pakistan.

Over at Downdetector, a website that monitors the downtime of popular internet-based services. Some people have begun voicing their concerns from various places in Pakistan. Some going to Twitter, some going to Facebook, everyone is complaining about the fact that the app isn’t available.

So, after some silence, the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) talked on Twitter to confirm what everyone dreaded. They have blocked access to the app under the request of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

Dear Customer, As per PTA instructions Telegram Messaging Application on PTCL Network have been Blocked till further notice.

— PTCL (@PTCLOfficial) November 9, 2017

So yeah, that’s a thing. Well, I guess it was a matter of time before some government organization got sick of the encyrption these apps offered. Brings back the discussion I briefly mentioned before, the Privacy Vs. Security one.